Kiritsu Taisei (Alternate)
Kiritsu Taisei (規律体制, lit; Law and Order) is a samurai hailing from the Land of Iron and is a member of the Three Musketeers. Trained thoroughly in the arts of kenjutsu by his father, he is set to be the next Crescent Samurai, a title held by the elite samurai of the Taisei clan for untold centuries. He has been taught the most high caliber form of the Taisei clan's kenjutsu, known as Ittō Shōden Mutō-ryū, which was created by his father to combine both the kenjutsu that had been passed down by the clan, and the skills Kiritsu's father learned from his masters. Having been born deaf, Kiritsu learned to harness his other senses to compensate, allowing him far greater sensory capabilities, which is most pronounced in his senses of touch and smell. He has learned how to "listen" to people by reading their lips, which has allowed him to eavesdrop on certain conversations without anyone knowing it, thought it's something he does not do too often. He is often greeted by fellow Land of Iron samurai as "Son of the Crescent Samurai" due to his heritage. Because of his incredible skills in kenjutsu, along with his expertise in chakra flow, his father allowed him to enter the Chunin Exams to put his skills to the ultimate test. Having push himself into the finals, he is determined to put his skills to their ultimate limits. Kiritsu is the reincarnation of his past self, who once was considered a great warrior. During the previous Chunin Exams, he was possessed by a demon, turning him into a rampaging monster who took his rage out on the other genin. Kyoumei, who was close to him, was the one who would end up delivering the fatal blow to Kiritsu to end his possession. Before his death, he entrusted his headphones to her as a memento never to forget him. Most of these events were like a dream to Kiritsu, who found himself waking up with no memories of his past, in the form of a samurai who has spent his life in the Land of Iron. He would again encounter Kyoumei in the finals of the current Chunin Exams. Following a blissful, musical piece by the two, Kyoumei handed him back the headphones he gave to her in the past. This awakened his memories of his past, everything up to his past self's death. The moment was bittersweet, as it meant learning that Kyoumei was forced to kill him. When she ran off in sadness, Kiritsu chased after her, following her chakra signature to a large tower. Amidst the fury of a strong thunderstorm, Kiritsu scaled the tower only to find her lying on the top of the tower unconscious. Keeping her safe amidst the storm, the rest of his memories began pouring through, which put him under a lot of emotional turmoil. He could see just how much Kyoumei was emotionally hurting, and it pained him greatly that there was nothing he could do to change it back. Amidst his tears, one fell upon the unconscious Kyoumei, who woke up with her head resting upon his lap. With a pull of his head by Kyoumei and a lock of their lips, Kiritsu's mind was once again set at ease, allowing his past memories to peacefully coexist with his own. Background Kiritsu was born and raised within the Land of Iron. When he was old enough to carry a sword, his father trained him in the arts of kenjutsu. Starting with the basics, Hataraki taught him the standard form a samurai would take in combat, along with the different types of strike patterns and how to flow them properly. As Kiritsu got older, his father taught him more and more intricate forms of kenjutsu. During this time, Kiritsu learned about his ability to freely flow chakra into any sword he holds, which another samurai taught him how to utilize when necessary. When he turned thirteen, his father taught him the Taisei clan's most sacred Hiden; Ittō Shōden Mutō-ryū. This form relies on the user to become united with their sword, become one with its movements. Long periods of training under this style allowed him to master it fairly quickly, and he had even added his own twists into the mix. By the time he entered the Chunin Exams, he had ample opportunity to utilize his skills, which got him quite a bit of respect from his peers, all things considered. It was enough to get him into the finals, where he began training more on his skills to prepare himself. It was here he would meet someone from his past, a girl named Kyoumei. He didn't know who she was a first, but a pair of headphones she handed him rushed all of the memories of his past self to him, and that's when he remembered who she was. He followed her to Takigakure and helped keep her safe while she was unconscious following her training. The two reconnected with each other with a spar the next day, one that Kiritsu felt happy undertaking. Appearance Kiritsu has an interesting appearance for a samurai. Sporting hair whiter than the snow that covers the Land of Iron, it glows brightly in the sunlight. His eyes are sharp, but carefree, colored with a glorious hue of gold that seems to compliment the sun itself. A smile is rarely unseen upon his face, a reflection of his optimistic nature. Below the neck, he wears a laid back, but elegant attire befitting a samurai. Upon his shoulders sits a cloak made from a warm fabric of unknown nature, passed down the Taisei clan for untold generations. On the back of this cloak is an image of a crane, which doubles as a seal that can be unlocked with Kiritsu's chakra. Upon the shoulders of the cloak are two, corded emblems that rest just in front of them, one of them bearing the image of a crane. Beneath it, he wears a hakama colored in white with black trim with a matching belt that fits snugly against his midsection. At the hips are two faulds that are tied around the waists to keep them from coming off while also ensuring movement is not restricted in any way. Underneath his hakama is a gi that helps protect him from a wide variety of attacks if need be to ensure that he is well defended for most confrontations. He sports a pair of sandals beneath it all that fit comfortably against his feet. At his hip is his katana, carried around in a sheath with white and black trim, while the katana itself has a white handle with black end, sporting a simple, golden crossguard. The blade is finely crafted, having been made with both flexibility and durability in mind. Unlike most katana, the blade on Kiritsu's doesn't shatter from repeated abuse, which is a common occurrence with his style of kenjutsu. Personality Despite being an isolated person, Kiritsu has a very outgoing personality. He always enjoys speaking with his fellow samurai, who are always impressed that he can understand them. Despite being deaf, he never sees it as a burden to him, since he never possessed hearing in the first place. He's always bearing a positive personality, always optimistic of the path ahead. Even when his back was against a wall, he always found something positive to think of, regardless of the situation. He's a calm, kind hearted individual who looks out for himself and his family and friends whenever possible. He's well mannered, always greeting his superiors with a properly mannered disposition. He's almost never been seen angry, and when he was, it was compared to a passionate anger, one brought on under good intentions. He is strong willed, never giving up until he has to, for he knows his limits and never lets his pride get in the way of his well-being. In his free time, Kiritsu enjoys playing the harp, specifically a hand harp that he keeps with him on his journeys, though he does have a full sized harp in his quarters that he plays after his meditation. Despite his deafness, those who heard his melodies have described as poetry in musical form. His heart and soul are pure, filled with good intentions. He's almost always tranquil, and has been called the Anjomusha (晏如武者, Lit. Tranquil Warrior) by his fellow Samurai because of his calm, kind hearted state. Though it's not shown very often, especially not in public spaces, Kiritsu bears some feelings of guilt, feelings he originally had no idea why he possessed. But having his past memories revived, his feelings were given more clarity. The things he did when his past form's darker side was brought to life, especially to the very person he felt he was supposed to protect. Feelings of betrayal weigh him down because he feels like he betrayed her that day. Even when he's reconciled his past, Kiritsu feels those emotions of guilt and betrayal will continue to haunt him. These emotions, though they don't cloud his judgement, do make him feel uneasy, because he feels he's someone who knows how to let go of the past if he has to in order to move on for the future. But with these emotions, he's not sure how he feels on that aspect of himself, anymore. But the one thing that keeps him going is the knowledge that Kyoumei saved him that day, stopped him from ending countless innocent lives in his demonic rampage. She risked her life, and her emotional strength, to end his own, saving many people in the process. And that's a debt he feels he can never repay. Some would consider Kiritsu a bit of a dreamer, and if told that, he'd agree with them. But he prefers that. He loves the concept of dreams, how they take one into impossible realms and impossible dimensions, making them as real as the mind could possibly comprehend. He finds his faith in these dreams, they prove to him that despite the guilts and regrets in his life, and his past life, that he's alive. It's in his nature to look at dreams in a positive light, grasp them with an open mind and open heart. These little things, these ordinary feelings that just about everyone experience, is always something greater to him, because he feels dreams are the things a lot of people take for granted. He feels that dreams can be a new, albeit short, adventure through the deepest corners of one's mind, or it can even provide someone with the inspiration to change the world. As such, he never oversees his dreams, never thinks little of them. He regards dreams as the most highest form of clarity of thought, an opportunity to see the impossible as though it were reality. And in some regards, see the steps needed to make even the impossible, possible. Abilities Having been raised in the intricate ways of the Samurai, Kiritsu's skills with his kenjutsu and his overall movement are of a near elite caliber. Movements that are perfectly coordinated with every swing of his sword help unify the energies of him and his sword, giving him an incredible method of attack that allows him to exploit an opponent's defenses and get them to open up by taking a very relaxed stance that his opponents often underestimate. Despite his training as a samurai, one would not notice it because he ignores the basic posture and form of the samurai, opting for a more loose, more fluid posture that allows him to be light on his feet at all time. This makes his kenjutsu a deceptive skill. In tandem with his chakra flow, Kiritsu can further enhance his skill even further, creating a secondary offense and defense by creating a sharper blade against his sword, which he can release as a razor sharp wave at any given moment. Constant movements combined with equal movements of his sword create a deceptive kenjutsu that is hard to follow, and even those who do follow it can't do so for long before losing focus. Kenjutsu Kiritsu's skills with a sword are of an elite caliber. Upon reaching the age of thirteen, his father taught him the ways of the Taisei clan's methods of kenjutsu. The katana he wields is lightweight, but incredibly tough. Thanks to the blade's light weight, Kiritsu is capable of quick, accurate swings of the blade. His form allows him to keep the sword held tightly without sacrificing fluidity. As such, his movements with his katana have been described by his teammates as "graceful", combining fluid movements with carefully timed slashes, making him a unique swordsman. Kiritsu's father describes his fluid style as "art and poetry in motion", combining elegant movements with precise, coordinated blows. Utilizing carefully chosen movements, Kiritsu keeps his blade at the proper length from his opponent, making sure he has plenty of room to properly swing it. In sword to sword combat, he uses feints and fencing like blocks and parries, looking to disarm his opponent. During the clash, he'll oftentimes move forward, sliding his blade against his opponent's to get in close and perform a counter. Utilizing his fluidity in movement, he keeps himself moving loose, but tight at the same time, showing a deceptively lax style. Constant spins of the sword before a slash leave his opponent guessing where the blow will land. While doing these spins, he keeps the grip held tight, ensuring that a parry doesn't end up disarming him. Kenjutsu to Kiritsu is an art form, and has to be applied as such with careful strokes of his brush. The brush in this case being his sword. Thanks to being trained all his life in the careful art of kenjutsu, the skills he showcases with his sword are of an almost second nature. His father believes it's his heritage as a Taisei taking precedence, guiding his skills, honing them into an art. Kiritsu describes his style as a calligraphic writer's hand, using carefully guided strokes to write a beautiful poem. The style he utilizes is one of his father's creation, a Hiden known as Ittō Shōden Mutō-ryū. This style teaches one to unite their being and their sword in perfect harmony, creating a unity of swordsman and sword. When he moves, so too does his sword, both of them syncing together to create a strike few can see coming. By combining the usage of his expertise over chakra flow, he can create swaths of razor sharp wind that blow from his blade with each swing, increasing his sword range immensely. When used at close range, because of the delay of the technique, it'll seem like he's hitting his opponent twice with one swing, the swing taking place first, followed almost immediately by the wind energy. Perhaps his greatest use in kenjutsu is in his defense. His graceful movements and masterful parries mimic that of an artist's pencil carefully adding the finishing touches of a masterpiece, each step and parry being another shade of the picture. Every perfectly aligned step and clash of blades is the next step in completing the artist's picture. By releasing a burst of chakra just a split millisecond upon parrying an opponent's weapon, he can send them flying great distances. His defense oftentimes looks a lot like a dance, weaving and spinning away from his opponents, using the momentum of the weight of his sword to create a unique defense that displays his courageous heart and indomitable spirit even in the thickest predicaments of combat. Chakra Flow Kiritsu learned how to harness the flow of his chakra at an early age, utilizing it within his kenjutsu by flowing his chakra into the blade of his sword. By doing so, the sword becomes incredibly sharp, capable of cutting through wood with little effort in a swing. By exerting more chakra into his blade, he can make it even sharper, allowing him to cut through denser materials at the cost of more energy. By releasing the flow of his chakra against the blade just a split second after swinging, Kiritsu can send a sharp wave of chakra from the blade, creating a fallback attack should the swing of his sword miss his target. This gives him a second chance to hit the target head on with an incredibly sharp wave of energy. With this expertise in chakra flow, Kiritsu can also manipulate the chakra within his body at will, raising and lowering it whenever he needs to in order to hide himself from sensory-nin. This gives him an element of stealth that allows him to sneak up on his target and attack them without them knowing it, a tactic rarely used by samurai, but one Kiritsu uses freely. At its peak, Kiritsu's chakra control allows him to transform into a heavenly visage by tapping onto the family seal inscribed on the back of his cloak. This grants him an incredible boost to speed and reflexes while also granting him the ability of flight. His expertise in chakra flow is further exacerbated by his ability to manipulate any chakra he releases from his body, even drawing it back into him. With his chakra never fading away, it can remain in the surroundings for indefinite periods of time until he reabsorbs it, allowing him to reuse his chakra for other techniques. This method of chakra recycling requires absolutely perfect control to keep the chakra in one place, something Kiritsu has little trouble in doing. He can also use this chakra to create points where his techniques can attack at, allowing him to use his jutsu at any angle, even out of an opponent's line of sight to deliver a devastating surprise attack. At other times, he can utilize it on his body to create a shield of chakra that can absorb tremendous amounts of damage, keeping him relatively unharmed from all but the most strongest of blows. When one sees his chakra flow, it almost glows with a beautiful, sparkling aura that seems to surround his entire body, almost giving off the perception of an angel. By using his chakra flow with a more individual purpose in mind, Kiritsu can use his chakra as a healing medium, by turning the chakra into a form of template the body uses to heal itself, allowing him to heal his allies and himself whenever possible. By sending bursts of chakra, he can heal multiple allies at once to give them short bursts of vitality. By pushing all of his chakra into a constantly rotating aura, Kiritsu can create a barrier that his allies can stand within to heal themselves. These healing abilities allow Kiritsu to make sure his team always survives even the most dangerous of confrontations. Deafsense Because of Kiritsu's deafness, the brain has learned to pick up the slack by raising his other senses. Thanks to his enhanced, visual perceptions, he is capable of picking up even the slightest bodily cues, capable of figuring out his opponents and his allies by their emotional state. Thanks to being able to see their body language more clearly, he can pick up on even the most subtle of emotions, even those that are hidden. He often uses this to help his allies in any way he can. His deafness also gives him a higher sense of awareness, giving him a bit more information about his surroundings. By utilizing the vibrations around him, Kiritsu can detect even the faintest movements around him, allowing him to react to any threat quickly and efficiently, making him a dangerous warrior that few can get close to without him knowing it. There is only one he knows of capable of getting close to him, and that's Kyoumei, who he considers one of the very few who can close the distance to him whenever they'd need to. Memory Shift Having both memories of his present and past state, Kiritsu has learned how to utilize the two effectively for any situation. By using the knowledge his past self had, he is capable of incredible feats of stealth. His memories of the past give him better insight about his surroundings, allowing him to see things he normally wouldn't. These are the memories of a ninja. In his present state, his samurai nature is more dominant, giving him a greater edge in his kenjutsu than in his ninja state along with a heightened urge to keep the pace against his opponent to slow them down. By using the two for the right situation, Kiritsu can overcome his opposition in any way he has to. By shifting between the two on the fly, Kiritsu can improvise on situations that don't go according to plan. Taijutsu Though Kiritsu isn't necessarily killed in taijutsu, he does possess some knowledge in it. He rarely uses it for outright assaults unless he's disarmed. But there's enough knowledge there to allow him to go through a close quarters battle without being under some sort of disadvantage, unless his opponent is an expert in taijutsu. Using his chakra flow, Kiritsu can wrap his arms and legs with wind chakra to deliver faster, sharper strikes against his opponents and provide a quicker line of defense. Equipment Onki Onki (御気, lit; "Emperor's Heart") is an ancient, handcrafted sword that has been passed down the Taisei clan for untold generations. The blade has never been chipped, never broken, an testament to its incredible craftsmanship. The blade is highly chakra sensitive, capable of detecting chakra in certain cases, providing a faint vibration that one could feel if they had a grip of the hilt. It also reacts to a user's chakra, providing different effects based on the base element of the user. Kiritsu, for example, has Wind Release, which provides an aura of sharpened chakra that can be released in a wave with a swing and careful timing on releasing the chakra from the blade. This also provides a secondary edge to defend with and can be used as a secondary offensive edge, as well. Shuriken Having picked up some more memories of his past life, Kiritsu has, out of habit, began stocking himself with shuriken that he keeps within the belt wrapped around his kimono. Grooves in the belt allow him to keep the shuriken in place without them going anywhere, even under strenuous movements. Kunai Once again thinking of his past memories, he began stocking up on kunai as well. Within the grooves of his faulds lie three rows of kunai, each meant to be used for a quick getaway or a surprise attack. Thanks to the cross tying and tight interweaving of the faulds, the kunai stay in place for as long as Kiritsu needs them to be. Poisons and Agents Taking a page out of Kyoumei's book from sparring and training with her, Kiritsu keeps himself stocked with basic poisons meant to incapacitate his opponents and medical agents to treat injuries and pain on the field, either for himself, or his allies. The poisons he relies on are common knock-out and sensory deprivation poisons meant to either render his targets unconscious, or disorientate them for a surprise attack. *'TRPV1' - TRPV1 is a protein found in the human body, best known as the "Capsaicin Receptor", that help detect and regulate body heat. Having spent countless weeks learning how to isolate the protein from the peripheral nervous system, Kiritsu created an ingestible capsule that not only helps keep body temperature stable, but can also be used as a fast acting pain reliever and as an anxiety stabilizer, meant to help treat anxiety. He has learned, by accident from a fellow samurai taking it, that it can help mediate symptoms of long term depression. *'Vanillotoxin' - Vanillotoxin is a toxin that is found in the venom of tarantulas. Under high enough doses, it binds to the body's TRPV1 receptors in the peripheral nervous system, which opens up the pore and cation influx, triggering the activation of the pain system. This puts the body under intense, physical pain upon Kiritsu's targets. While it's still active in the bloodstream, any damage his target takes is amplified, meaning a simple slap can be excruciating. *'Nonivamide' - Pelargonic Acid Aanillylamide, or PAVA, is an organic compound and capsaicinoid. Like capsaicin, it is found in chili peppers, but PAVA is more heat stable, meaning its effects last longer. Under medical uses, it can be used to alleviate muscle aches and pains brought on by arthritis, which Kiritsu keeps separate as a rubbing ointment. As a weapon, he keeps it in a gas form. Upon contact with the skin, it causes the skin to be sensitive to touch, as if the target was sunburnt. When in contact with the eyes, it blurs their vision significantly as their eyes produce excess tears to try and flush out the gas. Those who inhale the gas will suffer severe discomfort as the gas begins to cause inflammation in the sinuses, making breathing somewhat difficult and painful. Quotes Let's hope that from now on, the Land of Iron, or anywhere for that matter, can find its heroes in smaller places. In the most ordinary of deeds. “I am and always will be the optimist. The hoper of far-flung hopes and the dreamer of improbable dreams. History sometimes gives us a terrible shock, and that is because we don't quite fully understand. Why should we? After all, we're too small to realize its final pattern. Therefore don't try and judge it from where you stand. Our lives are important — at least to us — and as we see, so we learn... Our destiny is in the stars, so let's go and search for it. Fear makes companions of us all. I've learned that climbing great mountains means nothing if you don't do anything worthwhile during that journey. A sense of humor... is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person deep down has a pretty good grasp of life. People cry. Not because they're weak, but because they've been strong for far too long. I promise, that as long as there's air in my lungs, blood in my heart, and a fire in my soul, nothing's going to stop me from protecting her. Kyoumei taught me that protecting someone means giving them a place to belong, giving them a place where they can be happy. That there are things you can learn only by accepting your weakness. To not hesitate to tell the people you care about the feelings you have for them, because they may not be there tomorrow. Hope can be beautiful, but it can also be tragic. How we decide to hope determines how it turns out. There is grace in our failures. Attendant to your nobility, ask for your master's umbrella. The snow 'neath the trees of the Land of Iron, are thicker than rain. - Creed of the Taisei Clan And as we wind on down the road, our shadows taller than our soul, with our heads held high, we always know where to go. - Kiritsu's self poem You were brave that day, braver than I was because you stood up to me in all my rage when no one else would. I feel, like you saved me. You weren't the killer you were trained to be, you were someone upholding her honor to save someone close to you. You were not an assassin that day, you were a samurai. I'm proud of you, Kyoumei, more than you could ever know. - Kiritsu telling Kyoumei the things he feels about her We all can't be heroes, but that's why so few actually earn that title. Heroes aren't people of myth or legend with some amazing traits that set them apart from the rest. Heroes are the people who find it in themselves to give that last little bit, to etch out one final goodbye. Heroes aren't any braver than you or I, they're braver for two seconds longer, and that's what makes it count. Sometimes courage doesn't roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice that says at the end of the day "You can do it". So find that voice, find those two seconds, and find the hero in you! - One of Kiritsu's motivational speeches I've always been told it's my heritage that sets me to new heights. But I don't believe that. What sets me to my level is the dedication to my training, the dedication to my fellow samurai in doing what's right, for the sake of goodness, the sake of honor, and the sake of loyalty. These honorary tenets are what make me, not my bloodline. I am a samurai down to my very core, my sword is my soul, my dedication is my heart, and the air I breathe is my will. - Kiritsu's Creed How can mere words describe what she means to me? It's not easy to put such a thing in descriptive detail, but I'll try. She helps me breathe easier when she's around, and even when my days are clouded and unclear, she brings light to me and brightens my path. I feel rejuvenated when I am with her. I am but a humble peasant standing before a queen in her presence. But every day, she makes me feel like a king. - Kiritsu describing Kyoumei We all have dreams. Rich people, poor people, young people, old people and everyone else in between. It is human nature to have a goal that results in each individual's most desired happiness. I ask then, why are you not pursuing that dream of yours? For if you wish to be happy by your standard, then let no obstacle stall your path. Truly, the future is unwritten, and it is your story you are writing, so make sure you capture your dream. Success is always wanted, often pursued, but mostly abandoned because it is "too hard". Go forth everyone, and don't let life flow by. You will reach your destination of desire and it will be more blissful than Heaven itself. One of Kiritsu's motivational speeches